With a Kiss, We Rise
by Witty Teacup
Summary: Canon, AU. Tonight, the King has a very important question for his Court Sorcerer.


"Would you ever consider marrying me?"

The glass vial Merlin had been holding clattered to the ground of his chambers with a _crash_, sending pieces of glass everywhere, probably due to the fact that when the words were spoken, his grip went slack. He stared at the mess, swore, muttered a cleaning spell under his breath, and swept it away.

He turned on Arthur, raising a brow. "What?" he asked, nearly incredulous.

The king's face contorted into a slight scowl, shaking his head as a blush rose on his cheeks. He turned away, back facing his Court Sorcerer. "I won't say it again, Merlin."

Merlin's lips quirked into an amused smile. He tilted his head curiously. "No, no, go on, say it again. I wasn't paying attention, it's not fair."

He walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder, giving it a small tug. Arthur remained blatantly stubborn for a moment, but at Merlin's insistence, he sighed, and turning, he pulled Merlin into an embrace, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"I said," he drawled, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Would you ever consider marrying me?"

Merlin frowned slightly, certainly hearing and understanding the question, but nearly unbelieving, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "I don't...understand."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "What's not to understand, _Mer_lin? I thought even in Ealdor they had marriage."

He flushed. "They do! But I mean...you and me...you're the king, and..."

"You're the Court Sorcerer, Merlin. Your position is more than high enough, if that's what you're concerned about. Not that it would matter, anyway," he replied, but frowned in turn as Merlin continued to shake his head.

"That's not what I meant," he elaborated. "I...I'm not a woman, Arthur."

The king snorted, still holding firm onto his middle. "Yes, Merlin. I'm aware. Your point?"

"My point is," the warlock bit out, wiggling in Arthur's grip. "Don't you have to take...well...a wife? For heirs? In other words...not...me?"

"Would you not want to marry me?" Arthur asked lightly, meeting his eyes. "If you're not comfortable, Merlin, you only need to say so-"

"No!" Merlin said quickly. "No...I mean...yes, yes, I would. Want to marry you, I mean..." he smiled, a small blush illuminating his cheeks.

"Then it's settled," Arthur nodded finally, letting go of him.

Merlin stared at him blankly for a second, then rolled his eyes. "You didn't answer my question."

"I'm the king, Merlin, I don't have to answer your questions," Arthur answered, but there was no heat behind it, no malice or arrogance, just a gentle tease that Merlin was used to. It brought forth a grin from his lips.

"Well, if I marry you, what will I be?" he quipped, twirling around to sit on the bed in the room. "Certainly not the queen."

"Certainly not," Arthur agreed, hardly able to keep the snort out of his voice. He rounded the bed and plopped down next to him, legs dangling over the edge. "Wouldn't want to put that much stress on you."

Merlin's smile faded, and he turned to look at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Arthur began, rolling on his side to face him. "You're already Court Sorcerer. You oversee all magical affairs, and you sit as council member of the Round Table. Adding the duties of a queen would be too much for anyone to handle, even you."

There was an unusual softness to his voice, but in a moment, it was gone, and Arthur shrugged. "Besides, you're not a woman."

Merlin huffed, muttering under his breath. "That was my point exactly." Then, louder, "So I wouldn't be getting named or anything? No new title? I would just be changing my martial status?" he asked, almost hoping it was true.

"Of course you're getting named," Arthur said, as if it were obvious. "I have to make sure everyone knows that you're not allowed to be courted anymore. Not that you are now, but I want to make it official. I want everyone to know you're _mine_."

The last word was stressed slightly, and the possessive streak that Arthur had was almost endearing. He laughed, meeting his gaze.

"All right, all right. So if I'm not queen, but I am getting deemed another, very unnecessary title," he ignored the indignant scoff from the king, "What am I to be?"

"I tend to forget after all this time, you still know little of the court positions," Arthur pointed out, then said, "But to answer your question, I'll be naming you Royal Consort."

"And...that is...?" Merlin pressed, quirking a brow. "Did you make that up?"

"No!" the king sat up, giving him a scowl. "It's been a position in the royal court for years!"

"An what do _they _do?"

"_They_," Arthur started, "Are a lot like queens, in most cases. Literally, it's the term for the wife, or spouse, in your case, to a reigning king. They basically share the rank of the king and are the equivalent of the King. Usually, they lack in military and political powers, however, that won't be your case as you already deal with magical issues, as is your duty of Court Sorcerer. You'll basically be introduced as Consort, share my bedchambers, sit at my right hand, as is expected of you..."

"So basically," Merlin said, crawling over to lay next to him. "Everything I do now, with a fancy new title."

"Essentially," Arthur replied, smiling as he reached out his arm to pull him closer. "It won't be that bad."

"Never said it would be," Merlin retorted playfully, shifting into his grip. "But again, I still never got my answer."

Arthur barked out a laugh, rolling his eyes yet again. "And what was the question, Merlin? What question is so important that you must have it answered?"

Merlin pursed his lips, contemplated hitting him but decided that he liked the warmth of Arthur's hold too much to move. He shrugged, slightly. "I mean...obviously marrying me means you're...you know...cutting yourself off. Fidelity. And well, I'm a man, so I can't foster children, you know that, even with magic, and..." he sighed. "What are...you going to about your heirs?"

The king didn't answer right away, gripping onto Merlin a bit tighter. "I haven't asked them yet, but I wanted to...name Lancelot and Guinevere's first born as my heir. They've talked to me about having children and...Lancelot is a brother to me in all but blood, and as it is, naming his child as crown prince, or princess, would be the only reasonable thing I can think of. That's...all right with you, isn't it?"

Merlin laughed quietly, nodding his head. "It's more than all right. I think it sounds excellent. How long have you been thinking about this, anyway?"

Arthur began combing his fingers through the warlock's hair. "A while. I never knew how to ask."

"So you saw fit to burst into my tower while I was working, and blurt it out?"

The king puffed out a laugh. "I figured you would appreciate it. At least I didn't try to woo you like I would a lady."

"Thank the Gods for that," he snorted. "You're terrible at wooing anyone."

"Oi," Arthur scoffed, but a smile still lingered on his lips. "I got you, didn't I?"

"You make it sound as if I was some prize to be won," Merlin said dryly, a slight pout on his face.

He frowned, then, tugging him closer and kissed his hair. "You weren't a prize, you know that, right?"

Merlin hummed, nuzzling into him. "I know, I was teasing, Arthur. It's okay."

He closed his eyes, smiling. "Love you," he said, out of the blue.

Arthur didn't speak for a moment, and began to rub up and down his back gently, listening to the warlock's sigh of content.

"You never did answer _my _question, you know," Arthur said finally. "Not really, at least."

Merlin grumbled. "Did so answer...said I would want to...then you said-"

"I know what I said," the king broke in, flicking him on the head, in which Merlin whined. "But you never _answered _my question."

His eyes were still closed. "Can't I answer later?" he slurred, yawning as he did so.

He was tempted to let him, knowing that Merlin probably didn't get much sleep these days. No one really did, since someone was always in need of something for another, and Merlin, who, worked with practically every magical problem ever created, was always being run ragged. But, he could let him sleep later.

"No, you can't," Arthur said, sitting up, voice firm and leaving no room for argument.

Merlin wiggled in his embrace, then, propping himself up to kiss him fully on the mouth. He gave him a soft, lazy smile, eyes gleaming before he nodded his head.

"Yes," he whispered quietly. "Yes, I'll marry you. Of course I'll marry you."

With that, he tugged Arthur back down, and Arthur, a broad smile on his face, closed his eyes, Merlin wrapped safely in his arms.

* * *

**I actually wrote this during last school year in my notebook. Never got around to posting until now. **

**This is actually on Tumblr under another name, entitled _With All My Heart_. I am unseenvisibility, so please don't go reporting me for theft. I swear I didn't steal it. I actually wrote this. I edited a lot of it just now, though, so I only saw fit to change the title. **

**Anyway, I like how this came out. So, I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for reading! **


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